Keep your Repair Drone out of line of sight! Repair Drones function even when it canít see you. Itís harder for the enemy to kill what it canít see. I place my Interdiction Sentry and Missile Sentry Drones on the bottom or side of the satellite facing away from the enemy approach lanes so it won't be destroyed outright.

Keep your railgun sentry drones away from the satellite/area you are defending. This will force the enemy to choose going after your drone or the objective. I like placing it near an asteroid close to the satellite.

Drop mines early and often. You can detonate (cause damage with) mines you already have out if you have the maximum amount deployed and attempt to redeploy. This is extremely useful for shaking enemies on you since the enemy does not need to be in the activation radius, only the explosion radius.

Donít be afraid to go on the offensive with a bomber. Bombers are great at killing satellite defenders or attackers through area denial. They can create new area denial zones in Team Deathmatch and are able to take serious punishment!

Alternate mine cooldowns so that your mines are not all destroyed at once and you can keep constant pressure on an opponent. For example, drop a Seismic Mine, wait 7-10 seconds and drop an Interdiction Mine.

Drop a mine on an enemy starfighter when you see it turning. The enemy usually lingers around long enough to cause the mine to detonate, giving you great burst damage or control!

B-5 DECIMUS // SLEDGEHAMMER

This ship appears to be a mix of both strike fighter and bomber. It trades off multiple mine/drone types in favor of more direct missile damage. It is also the only bomber to get its own missile break, thrusters and capacitor, albeit at the expense of an armor component (which is a sizeable defensive loss). This build is designed to dogfight and stall enemies from capturing objectives. It is also still able to exercise a bit of area denial.

:: COMPONENTS

Primary Weapon: Heavy Laser Cannon (T4 Ignore Armor, T5 Increased Shield Damage)
I use heavy lasers over the other alternatives for the armor piercing and range. They are great for clearing turrets, drones, mines, killing other bombers and attacking enemies coming in to your area. Bypassing enemy bomber damage reduction is immensely useful. I go with the increased shield damage upgrade to weaken enemies for concussion missile and other follow-up attacks. With a slower, less engine efficient ship like a bomber, having the lasers with the largest range compensates somewhat for your lack of mobility.

Secondary Weapon: Concussion Missiles (T4 Increased Range, T5 Engine Targeting)
Versatile missile capable of inflicting tremendous amounts of damage to enemy hull. I lock these on in head-to-heads and release them right at point blank for easy damage, typically after having stripped shields with Heavy Laser Cannons. Concussion Missiles combo really well with this primary weapon, which has a slightly shorter range but still allows you to quickly strip shields. Increased range allows you to fire these at 7700m and engine targeting lets you slow enemies so that you can keep up with them and achieve an easier kill.

Engine: Power Dive (T3 Increased Turning Rate)
The only unique engine option that other bombers cannot acquire. Additionally, the only way a bomber can break missile attacks through ability usage. Additional turning rate will help you fire your Heavy Laser Cannons and Concussion Missiles with less difficulty. You can also opt for Increased Ship Speed if youíd like to increase the bomberís already extremely limited mobility. Power Dive also happens to be the one missile break with a 10-second cooldown. Advanced users can pre-aim their ship in a direction and use Power Dive to travel farther, as well.

Systems: Concussion Mine (T4 Increased Radius, T5 Increased Hull Damage)
This bomber has an interesting array of systems. On one hand, you could go with Interdiction Sentry Drone and stack its snare with Concussion Missile. On the other, you could drop more frequently armed Concussion Mines to destroy enemies weakened by your lasers and missiles. For this build, I opted to go with the straight up damage. I find Concussion Mines to be extremely useful for both node clearing and defending allies (like gunships) from starfighter attacks. Increased Radius gives the mine a 2500m blast (and 2000m activation), making it more likely the enemy will actually trigger it. Increased Hull Damage was chosen due to the Heavy Laserís increased damage to shields, hopefully leading to either Concussion Missile or Concussion Mine finishing off the weakened opponent.

Shields: Directional Shield (T3 Reduced Regen Delay)
This shield option gives you hefty shields and a quicker regeneration delay, making you more tanky (you are a bomber, after all). I prefer it over Charged Plating because of the questionable usefulness of damage reduction (and this particular ship does not have an Armor component). I prefer it over Overcharged Shield because I like having the ability to actually regenerate shields without waiting an excessive period of time. This shield is useful for handling enemies that try to come head-on or even while retreating. Once you get used to switching your shield arcs around it feels like a superior option that rewards proactive, skillful gameplay. Reducing regeneration delay seems better than increasing shield regeneration rate, and so I go with that option.

Thruster: Regeneration Thrusters
With all the boosting around evading enemies and closing in to targets and objectives, having a quickly replenishing engine pool is mandatory. I go with Regeneration Thrusters to give myself more staying power in the match. You could opt for Increased Turning if you feel like surprising opponents with the double turning upgrades, but this ship sorely needs additional engine power to get around.

Reactor: Large Reactor
More shields to protect yourself with. I find most kills are done through high damage in a short period, which is why I tend to favor Large Reactor over the others. This concept repeats itself throughout the guide.

Capacitor: Frequency Capacitor
These offer the highest amount of damage with the tradeoff of increased weapon power pool consumption. With Heavy Laser Cannon, the appropriate crew member (if necessary) and Regeneration Extender I feel like the drawback is minimal. More damage is always good if you can handle the power consumption.

Magazine: Regeneration Extender
Blaster power really isnít an issue with this build, but the regeneration extender allows you to maintain heavy laser fire for quite some time. With a higher rate of weapon power regeneration you can fire on multiple targets or wail on an enemy for a longer period of time.

:: CREW

Copilot: Salana Rok / Akaavi Spar (Wingman)
An amazingly useful copilot ability that lets you have a higher chance of hitting enemies that are off-center (heavy lasers have a huge tracking penalty) and targets with evasion. I could also see an opportunity here to run Lockdown, which works well with Concussion Missileís Engine Targeting upgrade. Hitting Wingman will get you more kills on high-evasion targets (like gunships and scouts) at a medium to long range (enemies will be scared of closing into knife range thanks to your Concussion Mines). Quicker and farther kills = less struggling = victory.

Offensive: Jaesa Willsaam / Qyzen Fess (2 degrees to firing arc, 6% accuracy)
Most of the other offensive crew choices are very lackluster and do not contribute anything to bomber damage. Accuracy and firing arc help your heavy lasers and concussion missiles out.

Defensive: Xalek / M1-4X (10% shield power pool, 9% damage reduction)
I am always a fan of a larger renewable source of defense, and stacking damage reduction here allows me to survive mine attacks and any other weaponry lacking armor penetration. This stacks well with the 10% base damage reduction you get as a bomber. A Legion/Warcarrier can stack evasion to a decent degree, but this bomber is incapable of that. However, you could also go with 10% shield power pool and 5% evasion here. The choice is yours!

Tactical: Salana Rok / Akaavi Spar (sensor focus range & communication / communication & dampening)
Increased sensor focus range for finding enemies across the battlefield and communication range for a better view of the battlefield. Primarily chosen for the active ability, Wingman. Unfortunately, the Republic only has two options for Wingman, neither of which are all that great.

Engineering: Blizz / C2-N2 (10% engine power pool, 13% engine efficiency)
With regeneration extender itís unlikely youíll be running out of power to your heavy lasers. Bomber engines donít last worth a damn, though. I chose the companion that would give the largest bonus to mobility, allowing you to respond more quickly and evade longer. If you find you run out of weapon power more often than engine power and would like a switch, you can swap this crew member for Yuun or 2V-R8 for weapon power efficiency and engine efficiency. There really are no other good options.

M-7 RAZORWIRE // RAMPART MARK FOUR

This ship is amazing at clearing satellites. It also has the added benefit of allowing you to drop mines on gunships that have tunnel vision. Watching mines explode is always satisfying. This bomber variant has group utility that is different from the Legion/Warcarrier but still remains interesting and useful. I prefer playing this variant because it feels more interactive. I turned my Razorwire/Rampart into a more specialized build to win bomber fights, since this bomber is already very adept at killing scouts and strike fighters.

:: COMPONENTS

Primary Weapon: Heavy Laser Cannon (T4 Ignore Armor, T5 Shield Piercing)
I use heavy lasers over the other alternatives for the armor piercing and range. They are great for clearing turrets, drones, mines, killing other bombers and attacking enemies coming in to your area. Bypassing enemy bomber damage reduction is immensely useful. I go with the shield piercing upgrade to finish off any additional hull weaker enemies have after being hit by my mines or other allies.

Secondary Weapon: Seismic Mine (T4 Increased Radius, T5 Hull Resonance)
I use these to deal damage straight to enemy hull in an area of effect (AoE) around you. They seem far more useful against players who know what they are doing, since both Seeker Mines and Proton Torpedoes can have their locks broken. I opt for increased radius because Interdiction Mine already has a powerful (and lengthy) slow, and who doesnít want to hit more people with direct hull damage? Hull resonance for the bonus damage, since many players wonít be receiving heals for the duration of the damage over time portion. The mine should be killing repair drones, right?

Engine: Hyperspace Beacon (T3 Hyperspace Slingshot)
I primarily play bomber in Domination matches because of how great they function at defending/attacking satellites. Beacon allows allies to get back faster to either fighting in TDM or node defense/offense in Domination. I typically play with others and coordinate this abilityís use for friendlies that have died. If you donít like the group utility the Beacon offers, you could go Shield Power Converter for more self-sustainability and a larger shield pool with the T3 upgrade.

Systems: Interdiction Mine (T4 Increased Radius, T5 Hull Resonance)
Interdiction Mines are used in conjunction with Seismic Mines to slow down enemies near you, leaving them vulnerable to your Seismic Mines and Heavy Laser fire. This mine AoEs with a 2500m radius and cripples movement, making it an awesome choice for node defense and scout-slaying. Like Seismic Mine, I opt for the damage over time. Since 2.8, popping both these mines on the same scout(s) will not instantly destroy them from full to nothing. Using direct-to-hull damage mines coupled with heavy movement impairment against dronecarriers is a very effective way to take them down. Interesting to note: If you want to build for destroying scouts, choose Concussion Mine. If you like winning bomber fights and more control, use these (Interdiction).

Shields: Charged Plating (T3 Engine Power Shunt)
When coupled with other damage reduction components/effects, Charged Plating is very effective at negating mine damage and a lot of other weaponry lacking damage reduction (Quad Laser Cannon, Light Laser Cannon, Cluster Missiles, etc.). I pop this on a node and typically outlast other bombers with ridiculously high damage reduction. I opted for the Engine Power Shunt because realistically you donít run out of laser power often and a bomber can always use more engine power.

Sensor: Communication Sensors
Being under satellites you will typically be visible to almost all enemies, and since a bomber is relatively stationary (fighting only under/over satellites and other obstacles) they do an excellent job of communicating data to friendly players, including the location of gunships and other bombers.

Reactor: Large Reactor
More shields to protect yourself with. I find most kills are done through high damage in a short period, which is why I tend to favor Large Reactor over the others. This concept repeats itself throughout the guide.

Armor: Deflection Armor
This is the only ship with armor where I use Deflection Armor. The shipís strength is in holding and attacking satellites, and having higher damage reduction helps you outlast the opposition on mine-laying fights. Enemy Razorwire/Ramparts will be taking more damage from each mine (and cluster missiles, among other things) than you will, allowing you to outlast the enemy and put on more pressure.

Magazine: Regeneration Extender
Blaster power really isnít an issue with this build, but the regeneration extender allows you to maintain heavy laser fire for quite some time. With a higher rate of weapon power regeneration you can fire on multiple targets or wail on an enemy bomber for a longer period of time.

:: CREW

Copilot: Blizz / B-3G9 (Hydrospanner)
I feel that itís already been established just how powerful evasion is (even after nerfs), so Running Interference is a great choice here as well. However, this copilot ability benefits a bomber more directly than many of the others and gives it great staying power. Because of Charged Plating's shield bleedthrough and other armor-piercing weapons, it is useful to continually keep your hull fresh and full. It's a long way back from a spawn point on a bomber, so each life matters even more! It strengthens the bomberís ability to hold on to satellites, which is the reason I would choose to play a bomber. Pick what you like but make sure they complement your build.

Offensive: Jaesa Willsaam / B-3G9 (2 degrees to firing arc, 6% accuracy)
Most of the other offensive crew choices are very lackluster and do not contribute anything to bomber damage. Accuracy and firing arc help your heavy lasers out. B-3G9 is necessary on the Republic side if you want Hydrospanner (you still retain 6% accuracy this way).

Tactical: Mako / Kendra Novar (sensor radius & communication / sensor focus & communication)
The tactical crew is different because of the copilot ability (Running Interference) not being available with identical passives. The Sith Empire gets the better end of this bargain with increased sensor radius and communication range, although the difference feels minimal at best.

Engineering: Blizz / C2-N2 (10% engine power pool, 13% engine efficiency)
With regeneration extender itís unlikely youíll be running out of power to your heavy lasers. Bomber engines donít last worth a damn, though. I chose the companion that would give the largest bonus to mobility, allowing you to respond more quickly and evade longer.

B-4D LEGION // GX-1 ONSLAUGHT // WARCARRIER // GX-1 FIREHAULER

A better ship for those who like playing support. Will typically lose one-on-one against an equally-skilled Razorwire/Rampart, but brings a lot of group utility and interesting dynamics to the table. It can be surprisingly fun to play in a TDM. Keep your drones alive (the hard part) and you will be a powerhouse.

:: COMPONENTS

Primary Weapon: Heavy Laser Cannon (T4 Ignore Armor, T5 Shield Piercing)
I use heavy lasers over the other alternatives for the armor piercing and range. They are great for clearing turrets, drones, mines, killing other bombers and attacking enemies coming in to your area. Bypassing enemy bomber damage reduction is immensely useful. I go with the shield piercing upgrade to finish off any additional hull weaker enemies have after being hit by my mines or other allies.

Secondary Weapon: Seeker Mines (T4 Increased Speed, T5 High Explosives)
I used to think these were fairly bad until I tried switching T5 to High Explosives. They are consistently activated due to satellite/bomber proximity but can be broken with engine maneuvers, so I chose Increased Speed to reduce the time enemies have to react to the lock on. Dealing AoE damage makes these nasty for node defense and provides something comparable in power to the Razorwireís mines. The missile options are neat and kind of useful against enemy bombers, but a bomber typically spends time avoiding line of sight with enemies and the locks are easier to break because your ship has bad pitching and yawing.

Engine: Shield Power Converter (T3 Increase Shield Power)
This is immensely useful for staying alive, and I am not a fan of Interdiction Drive (especially after the recent nerf). Since you are using this to keep yourself alive and are likely going to stay around the area you are defending (satellite or otherwise) I go with Increase Shield Power in the final tier.

Systems: Railgun Sentry Drone (T4 Increased Shield Piercing, T5 Reduced Charge Time)
This is something I really hate while I am playing scout. Drones will no longer fire through satellites, asteroids and other obstacles but can be hidden fairly well without being directly on a satellite. I opt for the railgun drone because of the shield penetration each shot gives. It is wonderful at providing support to friendly gunships and satellite defenders and seems to account for a ridiculous amount of damage over the course of a match. T4ís Increased Shield Piercing grants even more damage to enemy hulls, which are typically more difficult to repair. T5ís Reduced Charge Time mathematically (if I did the math correctlyÖ) does equivalent damage over time to the other choice, but allows the drone to fire faster, taking out enemy drones, mines and weaker targets more quickly.

Shields: Repair Drone (T3 Refill Ammunition)
Group utility, heal and most importantly an ammo refill for those other pilots you are running with! Be careful to place this in a protected area and alert teammates once you have the Refill Ammunition option in T3. Giving allied ships a renewable source of ammunition on a satellite is a wonderful thing to have.

Sensor: Communication Sensors
Being under satellites you will typically be visible to almost all enemies, and since a bomber is relatively stationary (fighting only under/over satellites and other obstacles) they do an excellent job of communicating data to friendly players, including the location of gunships and other bombers.

Reactor: Large Reactor
More shields to protect yourself with. I find most kills are done through high damage in a short period, which is why I tend to favor Large Reactor over the others.

Armor: Lightweight Armor
Being near obstacles you will typically be able to avoid the deadlier missile locks. Lightweight Armor does a better job of negating blaster, railgun and rocket pod fire than the other alternatives. Too many players utilize armor penetrating weapons, so I opt out of Deflection Armor in all my builds save the Razorwire/Rampart. This ship will typically not win a one-on-one fight against an equally skilled Razorwire/Rampart.

Magazine: Regeneration Extender
Blaster power really isnít an issue with this build, but the regeneration extender allows you to maintain heavy laser fire for quite some time. With a higher rate of weapon power regeneration you can fire on multiple targets or wail on an enemy bomber for a longer period of time.

:: CREW

Copilot: Mako / Kendra Novar (Running Interference)
I feel that itís already been established just how powerful evasion is (even after nerfs). This copilot ability benefits a bomber more directly than many of the others and gives it great staying power on top of group utility (3000m 15% evasion buff for 20 seconds). It strengthens the bomberís ability to hold on to satellites, which is a reason I would choose to play a bomber. Nothing changes here between bombers.

Offensive: Jaesa Willsaam / Qyzen Fess (2 degrees to firing arc, 6% accuracy)
Most of the other offensive crew choices are very lackluster and do not contribute anything to bomber damage. Accuracy and firing arc help your heavy lasers out.

Defensive: Vector / Nadia Grell (10% shield power pool, 5% evasion)
I am always a fan of a larger renewable source of defense, and evasion is too good to pass up.

Tactical: Mako / Kendra Novar (sensor radius & communication / sensor focus & communication)
The tactical crew is different because of the copilot ability (Running Interference) not being available with identical passives. The Sith Empire gets the better end of this bargain with increased sensor radius and communication range, although the difference feels minimal at best.

Engineering: Blizz / C2-N2 (10% engine power pool, 13% engine efficiency)
With regeneration extender itís unlikely youíll be running out of power to your heavy lasers. Bomber engines donít last worth a damn, though. I chose the companion that would give the largest bonus to mobility, allowing you to respond more quickly and evade longer.

:: ADDITIONAL BOMBER BUILDS

I'm hoping this section takes off, presenting a large variety of builds, reasoning and logic for readers to go through and try out! Thanks to the community for your support!